Pictures At An Exhibition
Jeremy Webb
 |
 |
|
With the combined talents of a group show, we managed
to get thousands of small b&w flyers featuring a very simple design,
distributed around the hotels, pubs, and shops of Henley during Regatta
Week. This annual event brings in thousands of cash-rich visitors
and our exhibition was booked well in advance to coincide with this
busy week. |
Exhibiting your work is not just for the fine art photographer
or the budding Ansel Adams. Commercial photographers are far too shy of
exhibiting their talents, prefering to rely on hard sales talk, and the
safety and certainty of bread-and-butter business-to-business commissions.
Exhibiting is always easier if you are a commercial landscape or portrait
photographer, but don't discount the idea just because your particular
branch of commercial photography is business-orientated rather than the
more people-pleasing areas of our profession.
In the same way that your portfolio (the subject of last
months commercial feature) should reflect not merely what you have done,
but what you are capable of doing, so an exhibition if carefully organised
and managed can set you head and shoulders above the crowd. It can take
a lot of time, and for photographers who embark on this wonderful journey
for the first time, you need to be brave, but fortune (as they keep reminding
us) favours the brave.
 |
|
| I've recently been exhibiting some of my digital
work which is photography-based and brings-out the frustrated abstract
artist in me. It sits well with group exhibitions of painting or mixed
media and appeals to a more youthful market than some of my more traditional
images. |
|
Why exhibit?
There are many reasons, but the 2 most obvious being 'exposure' and 'sales'.
An exhibition is an invaluable marketing tool as well as a temporary shop
in which to tempt both known and potential customers. It can also rejuvenate
those tired old creative juices and sharpen up our communication skills
- closing a sale, negotiating prices or further opportunities, writing
press releases and so on. Exhibiting is about so much more than simply
pictures on the gallery wall. Its about hidden opportunities, surprise
commissions, feedback from people outside your usual sphere, and to a
certain extent, its also about putting yourself as an individual under
the microscope of self-examination.
|
 |
|
This image has been exhibited many times and has
an almost universal appeal. |
What sort of Photographer are you?
Commercial photographers come in all sizes, shapes and colours. Naturally,
if you specialise in studio product photography, the viewing public are
not going to welcome an exhibition featuring endless toothpaste tubes
or dog food tins no matter how much you feel was put into the creation
of these images. If however, you also spend your weekends out in the wilderness,
photographing the bird life and changing landscape of your local estuaries
and mudflats, then you could have the basis for a very successful exhibition
(not to mention a useful natural science archive). If your day job entails
mainly corporate portraiture or boardrooms of grey-suited directors, exhibit
your unseen personal work of intimate and engaging portraiture work. I
once knew a photographer who specialised in agricultural subjects and
whose commercial images were consistently well-executed and admired by
his peers and the narrow market which he served, but were art-less and
dull beyond compare to the rest of us outside of this particular sphere.
His secret passion however was to complete a documentary project on hidden
barns and outbuildings which he photographed and produced as beautifully-printed
black & white fibre-based prints. From this one well-managed exhibition,
he went on to create a beautiful calendar (one of several publishing opportunities
which came his way), he significantly raised his profile (and his fee)
among the usual clients which had previously thought him competent but
a bit pedestrian.
 |
|
| Unfortunately for the UK, nude studies can still
cause the overly-censorious guardians of public decency to kick up
a fuss! Depending on the venue, nudes can be difficult to exhibit-
especially where public or civic spaces are concerned and subject
matter has to be negotiated with a publicly-accountable committee
or board. |
|
Travel makes an ideal theme for an exhibition, or any
local landscape project that can enhance your opportunities for local
media coverage. Your exhibition becomes a statement of excellence and
versatility, underlining your already-acknowledged skills as a photographer
whose expertise and time are worth paying for. Networking, social status,
personal satisfaction, and so on are all highly motivational even though
they may be harder to quantify in the short term than pounds and pence.
For this reason alone, the best exhibitions in the photographic world
may not necessarily be the most financially-rewarding ones.
|
 |
|
A timeless, classic image
which has an almost universal appeal and has sold many times. Feedback
from people who have either bought it or liked the print, suggests
that it is the nostalgic impact - a reminder or trace of a simple
childhood experience - which lies behind its appeal. |
Where will you exhibit?
Lets assume that you've chosen the subject matter of your exhibition and
are happy that you have a batch of 20 or so top-notch prints which you
intend to show. What type of venue should you choose? Local Arts Centre/theatre
etc. These vary enormously in terms of what they can offer for space,
publicity, and so on. These venues are a favourite and safe option as
they tend to pull in a largely arts-appreciative crowd. It may be an unsuitable
choice though, if you feel your work deserves a more diverse audience
who are drawn-in to see your work specifically rather than as an adjunct
to the main business of the day for many of these venues that is often
focussed on the evening performance. On the plus side, they can offer
a licenced bar for private views, possibly catering facilities, and are
often looking for ways to use their space in the daytime, or raise their
profile within the community by hosting your exhibition.
 |
|
| I framed this image in the viewfinder in such a way
that its composition reminded me of some old Japanese prints of waves
and surf spray. Sometimes the simplest, most personal images (when
exhibited) will surprise you by having an unexpected resonance and
meaning for other people too. |
|
Libraries/civic buildings - These venues may well pull
in the crowds but may be ill-equipped to stage an exhibition due to space,
lighting, health & safety regulations and so on. Even if such places
seem keen and able to host your exhibition you may find yourself having
to fund all promotional costs and your work having to compete with other
displays such as huge notice boards, local charity and voluntary organisation
posters and so on.
Hotels/restaurants/cafes - Views on the suitability and
success of exhibitions held in these venues vary widely among photographers.
The best exhibitions always seem to stem from sympathetic and supportive
establishments who provide expenses in kind such as food and drink, or
who can willingly take sales on your behalf if you are absent. If the
subject matter is highly appropriate to the venue - (quality local landscapes
+ 'up-market' establishment = high sales potential) you have a guaranteed,
ever-changing audience and the possibility of a much longer-term arrangement
that could be far more fruitful than a short 2-week exhibition.
Galleries - These venues require far more space to discuss
than we have here. Nevertheless, you can take it for granted that these
venues usually have well-trained staff; supportive to the needs of artists
and photographers, mailing lists of keen art-lovers and patron's to the
arts, and will usually provide a degree of marketing support to promote
your exhibition. Many people are put off by the paperwork, but a written
agreement between a gallery and the photographer should cover such unexpected
nasties as insurance matters, security and safety arrangements, damage
during transport and so on. These kind of issues should be considered
and addressed for any kind of exhibition and thankfully there is plenty
of information out there on the web from artists support agencies such
as Artists Newsletter (http://www.anweb.co.uk) who produce sample contracts
and agreements for just such occasions. Artists Newsletter in particular,
deserve a plain English award for their clarity and no-nonsense approach
to this difficult area.
|
 |
|
This is one image from a series of large-scale prints
taken in and around Newcastle and exhibited as part of a touring exhibition. |
| |
 |
| |
Showing portraits allows you to demonstrate a side
of your personality and skill which can be invisible to those who
only know one particular aspect of your work. They may not sell quite
as easily as landscapes in my experience, but they allow you to show-off
a bit and demonstrate your versatility as a creative photographer. |
Empty buildings/vacant premises - Great care should be
taken when considering this option but if you find the right place in
a central location you could have a sizeable showing space suitable for
a group show with other photographers, or (given good publicity) an appealing
idea in the eyes of the public since people are usually very responsive
to traditional concepts of display given a fresh twist, and feel positive
towards unoccupied premises being put to good use. If you find what seems
to be a suitable venue, contact the council to negotiate terms if it is
council-owned, or negotiate with the estate agent if privately-owned.
Weigh-up carefully any extra costs which might be incurred in the preparation
of the space ie cleaning, extra lighting and so on) and pay careful attention
to safety matters such as electrical wiring, safe plumbing etc.
Your own home/launderettes/other ideas
Photographers and other artists have in recent years began to think much
more laterally about where and how to site their exhibitions. So long
as the venue is appropriate, the uniqueness of the event can score valuable
extra points and keep the event high in the minds of the public for whom
a contemporary angle on the well-trodden path of exhibiting will engage
the imagination.
What else will you have to think about?
This is just the start! Exhibiting your work in a well-controlled and
organised way involves a lot of time, patience, and planning. Before embarking
on the process, give yourself enough lead-in time to get the absolute
maximum return on your efforts. The other key areas to consider are:-
- Financial matters - self-funding, sponsorship, Arts
Council or Regional Arts Board grants etc
- Publicity - Invitation cards, posters?, local press
and radio, incentives to visit, catalogues?
- Timetable - underpins 1 & 2 above. Plan and prepare
your campaign a good 5 months in advance so that you approach potential
sponsors for funding, or support-in-kind well in advance of the opening.
A typical timetable might look something like the following:-
- 5 months to go - make sure you know copy deadlines
for publications you plan to mail draw-up a list of media to contact
and prepare listings information, prepare press packs with photos,
cv etc prepare artwork for poster, invites etc, start to edit, select,
and frame work prepare and send grant-seeking letters or sponsorship
proposals
- 4 months to go - further business sponsorship
seeking (ie processing from local lab in return for?)continue framing
work build personal mailing list database
- 3 months to go - Invitation and poster artwork
to printers check insurances early (public liability? contents?
or is this already covered?)
- 2 months to go - send out press and media invitations
continue building contacts and mailing list maintain dialogue with
venue re last minute issues ie number of power points start to assemble
tool kit and hanging supplies
- 1 month to go - Put up posters mail invites organise
private view, transport arrangements etc. Hang the exhibition, collapse
in crumpled heap on floor.
 |
|
| Colour studies of nature formed the basis of a reasonably
successful exhibition along this theme. If you have a strong, specific
theme to the photographs you want to exhibit, why not put that commercial
hat on and come up with an equally strong idea of where to show them.
In hindsight, I could envisage showing this exhibition at a busy garden
centre for example. |
|
This is only a rough outline of the kind of attention
to detail and planning necessary to maximise the chances of a successful
show. It cannot be emphasised enough - an exhibition which gives you time
in which to plan and prepare your activities will allow you to sieze the
opportunity and make the most of your time and marketing expertise before
its too late.
What about the opening night?
After all that hard work it really would be a shame to let things slip
now! A private view should be planned at least a fortnight in advance,
after all, this is your launch event, your moment of glory! Shame you
forgot the corkscrew, or the visitors book. Amongst many things, you'll
have to consider:
Who will serve drinks, while you mingle and answer questions from your
adoring fans?
Do you have postcards or something about you on paper for people to take
away with them?
Have you planned for possible disasters such as glass breakages?
Your visitors book should try to get as much information about your visitors
as possible - a favourable comment or gushing praise is great for the
ego, and an opportunity to add another customer to your database - as
long as you have their address.
Do you have credit card facilities to take payments on your opening night/private
view, or will you hope for cheques and hard cash?
...and finally it will certainly help you for future exhibitions to keep
a careful note of all the income and expenditure you incur during your
exhibition. Likewise, a running log book or diary will enable you to pinpoint
which aspects of your preparation and planning were most successful and
which could be improved upon for your next exhibition.
Exhibiting your work can cost you blood, sweat, and tears.
But in the end, you learn so much that you'll want to do it again, and
again. Each exhibition is a unique event and there is no outright formula
for success. There are aspects of the planning and preparation which I
have only skated-over but I've tried to suggest ways in which we can limit
the chances of failure by keeping on top of the whole process from top
to bottom, and by starting things early.
This obsessive attention to detail will all pay off because
you need to be focussed and un-stressed on the opening night, ready to
charm the pants off your customers, and convert those favourable comments
into hard-won sales. Oh, and don't forget those little sticky red dots-
you know, the ones that mark out which of your prints are sold. Good luck.
| Not a print I show often, but in group shows where
there is more emphasis on individual prints (as opposed to series,
sets, or themed exhibitions) this one has provoked a kind of love-it-or-loath-it
talking point. |
| |
